I have owned the Grand Caravan and now own the Odyssey. The Grand Caravan provided a smooth comfortable ride. Copious space. The front end related repairs were endless. I maintain my vehicles religiously. I owned the vehicle from 60 k to 130. I was advised that I was heading for transmission replacement at 150k.
I traded it in for an 08 Ody with 39 k on it. It has Stiffer suspension which translates into better handling. Transmission does more "hunting" than I would like.
More length than the GC. I have stored inside 6 sails booms, rig components,a 9"11 sup, ten foot surf board and a 8'6" short board. I have put 40k on it without any repairs. I am planning to replace the timing belt at 100 k.
I've yet to meet an unhappy Ody owner. The new models have had issues with the doors.

I've just been put into the unfortunate position of having to transport 2 Formula boards, one slalom, one freeride, and one high wind board in my van pretty much full time. All the while carrying the requisite 10 sails, 5 booms, and up to 8 masts.
Hoping my f-150 longbed van makes it thru another summer....

I wonder if that's a correctable/adjustable problem? Our '06 almost never hunts (i.e., frequent up'n'down shifting). It will occasionally downshift when pushed up mountain grades, but the emphasis is on "occasional", which is not a problem.

I agree there isn't the "perfect" vehicle. There's only better choices than others based on your own needs and preferences. I can share my experience after owning two Honda Elements. For starters they hold nearly as much as any mini van and more than a typical SUV.

It's deceptively spacious due to it's very tall interior. I'm 5'6 and I can walk around inside the back while crouched over. Unlike an SUV, the floor is flat like a van from from to back. If I'm riding solo, instead of putting boards on the racks, I remove the rear seats (it's simple and easy) and fold down the passenger seat to 180 deg. and stack up to four short boards inside. Even with four boards I still have visibility out the passenger side window. The sails and masts fit down the middle and become and armrest. There's ample room behind the driver's seat for everything else including my mountain bike. It's amazing.

Now that I kite most of the time (4 kites / 3 boards) I just leave everything in the car permanently. I still have ample space for my cleaning service equipment.

And there's that Honda reliability thing. My 2003 Element had 185k on it and just brakes, tires, oil, and a few relatively small typical Element issues - starter replacement, rear struts and sway bar bushings and that's it. Being that they were no longer making the Element (bummer) I sold that one and bought an 08 and loving it. They are more than a few Honda E owners that get over 300k miles without incident and some with 500k on the original drivetrain. There's something to be said for having both utility and exceptional reliability = long term value. I get between 23-28 mph mostly highway and I'm not easy on the gas pedal averaging 70-80 mph.

I also use an Element and I will say it has worked out quite well as a windsurfing vehicle for me for the past four years. I stack up to three boards on the passenger side with the rear seats removed and front passenger seat flat. Sails go behind the passenger seat on the floor with the larger sails (up to 8 meter) between the seats. Masts up to 460 can also fit between the seats. My 490 mast can also fit inside but not as neatly. There's plenty of room for booms, gear, and tools. There's also enough room inside to get changed in the back while the boards are in the car (it is a little snug though, I'm 6'-3").

For solo windsurfing, the E seems to work great. If you're traveling with someone else, you lose a lot of the functionality because you have to put boards up on the roof rack. Not the end of the world, just not as convenient as throwing them in the car.

I also have an '08 (AWD) but my gas mileage seems to be more in the 20-24MPG range which is a little disappointing for a four cylinder. All in all, a good choice for someone who mostly solos on mid to small size gear and doesn't want to drive a van.

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